YES Wrap 35-Date Triumphant North American Tour #YES50: Celebrating 50 Years Of YES To Critical Praise

The #YES50: Celebrating 50 Years of YES tour wrapped triumphantly July 28 with two sold-out Florida plays and a sold-out show in Atlanta, and now the prog rock pioneers would like to thank all involved for making this summer’s 35-date North American 50th Anniversary trek a big success, receiving high praise from critics and fans across the board.

“Thank you to all the fans, promoters, venues, agents and everyone else involved for helping us celebrate such a special milestone,” shares the band: Steve Howe (guitar – joined 1970), Alan White (drums since 1972), Geoff Downes (keyboards; first joined in 1980), Jon Davison (vocals since 2011) and Billy Sherwood (guitar/keyboards in the 1990s and the late Chris Squire’s choice to take over bass/vocals in 2015). “An extra special thank you goes out to founding member Tony Kaye for joining us every night, to Jay Schellen for additional drums, to Roger Dean and his team for bringing their exhibition to the East Coast dates, and to Trevor Horn, Patrick Moraz and Tom Brislin for joining us in Philadelphia for a special weekend and fan convention.” Alan White sums it up, “It was great to reconnect with friends and fans from near and far! Onward…”

Critical praise for #YES50: Celebrating 50 Years of YES:

“The entire band over hours delivered sights and sounds that consumed the theater with tone and texture while nudging us into lyrical leaps down rabbit holes…YES was sweeping and spectacular.”
–John Barry, Poughkeepsie Journal, 7/25/18

“When [Tony Kaye] showed up in Anaheim, you could feel an extra surge of excitement…[Steve Howe] indulged the audience with the shrill of the steel [guitar] on the ‘Soon’ portion from ‘The Gates of Delirium.’ That one still makes the hair on my arms stand to attention. Slender and sleight, the guitarist attacks his instrument with pointed passion and precision…Tonight, there was simply no way to ignore [Howe’s] brilliance…Kaye played with abandon, asserting his might at the breaks and on an extended solo during ‘Roundabout.’ By the time the grand sweep of ‘Starship Trooper’ spread its sonic space dust over the bedazzled crowd, the majestic history of YES couldn’t have been more apparent…Tonight proved the bar has been set high.”
–Shawn Perry, Vintage Rock, 6/20/18

“YES is the type of band that always puts on an unforgettable show and takes the audience on a journey through decades of great music. [The Ford Theatre in Los Angeles] was the perfect venue to see YES at.”
–Alex Kluft, Music Connection, 6/22/18

“The opulence of the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre [in Los Angeles] with the captivating majesty of the YES experience was the absolute winning combination. As the sun was beginning to set, the legendary YES made their way to the stage, ready to celebrate their 50 Year Anniversary with the concert of a lifetime. Out onto the stage arrived a collection of the most respected musicians on the planet and what a dazzling set of YES songs they all had in store for the audience!…The grand finale was nothing short of mesmerizing…YES at 50 presents each and every member at the height of their creative energies, unleashing timeless compositions that will remain within our consciousness for an eternity. Do not miss YES50 when they arrive to captivate your town with their thrilling auditory tapestries!”
–Ken Morton, Highwire Daze, 6/26/18

“For a band to persevere through 50 years, and still perform with the virtuosity for which YES is known, is a stunning accomplishment…No other ’70s’ prog-rock group has survived with the vitality and widespread fanbase of YES. This night at the Warner [in Washington, DC] showed us why YES music is still the gold standard of prog-rock.”
–Marc Caicedo, Parklife DC, 7/27/18

“The current configuration [of YES] hearkens back to its heyday while striving to remain contemporary…Yes was always perceived as a band that combined otherworldly lyrics and vocals with superb instrumental prowess. This version remains as muscular as ever, and Howe has emerged as an honest-to-God guitar hero, as opposed to simply the brilliant guitarist he’s always been.”
–Ross Boissoneau, Local Spins, 6/29/18

“The night featured a wide range of songs from across their 21 album catalog…This wasn’t meant to be a ‘greatest hits’ show, but a celebration of the diversity of styles across the band’s 50 year history, and an homage to the late Chris Squire…YES put on a great show and it was fantastic to see Tony Kaye perform with the band that he founded 50 years ago.”
–Kevin Keating, SF Bay Area Concerts, 6/21/18

“YES played some of their most eccentric songs which also showcased the band’s musicianship and playing ability. ‘Perpetual Change,’ ‘Does It Really Happen?’ and ‘Soon’ were played to near perfection and the audience showed their appreciation with standing ovations at the conclusion of each song…The band put on an exceptional performance and it was an awesome evening of great music.”
–Michael Baltierra, VNYLDEN.com, 6/16/18

“Howe’s guitar playing was stellar and watching his nimble fingers move effortless across the neck of any guitar is worth the price of admission…A perfect evening of YES playing as good in 2018 as they did in 1968…actually maybe even better.”
–Pat Francis, Pop Culture Beast, 6/25/18

“These Rock and Roll Hall of Famers delivered a set for connoisseur fans of the band…Musically, oh my, is this Yes awesome; as musically proficient as any that ever taken the stage since [they] first played together in public as YES…”
–Steve Smith, Classic Pop, Rock & Country News, 7/3/18